


"It's not what it looks like."

by Yuuki_Nyanmaru



Series: Love Story [5]
Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:06:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22117597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yuuki_Nyanmaru/pseuds/Yuuki_Nyanmaru
Summary: Nino dragged Aiba to the cinema, hoping to cheer him up, but who could have known that there they would have met the reason of his pain?
Relationships: Aiba Masaki/Sakurai Sho
Series: Love Story [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1587502
Comments: 5
Kudos: 5
Collections: Sakuraiba Tanabata 2019-2020





	"It's not what it looks like."

**Author's Note:**

> Twelveth drabble of the Sakuraiba Tanabata 2019-2020!
> 
> So, this probably won't make up for yesterday's angst, but you only have to wait a little more...

“So, how was the movie?”

“I don’t know.”

“What does it mean?”

“It means what it means.”

“You’ve become impossible to tolerate,” sighed Ninomiya, crossing his arms together and shaking his head.

Aiba didn’t say anything back because that was the truth. Since Sho ‘distanced himself’ from him, four months ago, he had been always in a bad mood. At first, he tried to stay positive and smile; nonetheless, as the days passed by, his will faded out and he didn’t even try to hide anymore his sorrow.

Nino stayed by his side the whole time, he owed him a lot, yet, his heart had rejected every attempt to distract itself and stop thinking for a second about Sho.

Thanks to his friend, he knew that his boyfriend was now staying at his brother’s place for the time being. Nino said that the reason why Sakurai moved out was only Aiba who had asked him that, because if it were for him, he wouldn’t have left him alone.

However, Masaki couldn’t have bear that situation. Seeing his lover and not knowing if they were feeling the same way would have torn him apart, plus, Sho needed time to think. Time alone, away from the source of his doubts.

“I followed just half of it, I kind of dozed off during the second part,” he said, at last, not desiring to turn down his friend’s help once again.

“As expected,” the shorter man chuckled.

“What does it mean?” Aiba whined, pouting.

“It means what it means,” Ninomiya teased him while making one of his usual funny faces.

Masaki laughed genuinely at that and elbowed playfully his friend. It was incredible how the other man always managed to get a smile out of him.

That moment of cheerfulness lasted shortly, though, since as they were turning a corner in the cinema’s hallway, he bumped into none other than who caused him all his pain.

“Sho,” he whispered, looking at the person in front of him as if he were some kind of illusion.

“Masaki,” the other man replied, even him surprised at their encounter. When he noticed that along with him there was even his cousin, he asked, “Nino, you’re here too? Did you watch a movie?”

“Yes, we did, but this guy here fell asleep in the middle,” Ninomiya replied, pointing at Aiba.

“He can’t help it; sleep is stronger than him. You don’t know how many times he had slept on me,” Sakurai commented.

“Your sloping shoulders are very comfortable, you know,” he replied.

They were chatting and laughing as if those four months never existed, as if they were still ‘Masaki and Sho’, without uncertainty in-between. He wanted to hug him, to kiss him, to tell him that he had missed him like the desert missed the rain.

“I’ll wait for you outside,“ Nino announced, winking at him before saying goodbye to his cousin and walking away.

“He really likes to set us up, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah, he does like it a lot,” he replied, watching as the figure of his friend vanished in the crowd.

Now that they were alone, tension started to build up in Masaki’s body. Suddenly, he felt self-conscious of their ‘situation’ and he didn’t know what to do.

“So,” gladly, Sho was the first to speak, breaking the ice, “How have you been?”

“Not too bad, I could be better but, hey, I could be even worse,” he replied, letting out a dry laugh, “And how about you?”

“I’ve been thinking a lot. You know, about you, me, us.”

When his ears heard the word ‘us’, Aiba’s eyes closed instinctively, taking in its sound, its melody, its warmth. ‘Us’ was what he wanted to be again. Not Masaki, not Sho, but ‘us’, Sho and Masaki.

“And, did you reach a conclusion?” his voice trembled when asking that question.

“Actually, yes, in fact, I wanted to call you these days so we could talk.”

“Tell me when and where and I’ll-”

“Here I am!”

Aiba was cut off by a stranger who was now approaching them. He looked at him angrily for having interrupted that precious conversation.

“Sorry, the popcorn’s line was endless,” the man went to stand next to Sakurai. He was carrying a big bowl of popcorn, signal that they were going to share it.

In front of such a view, Aiba didn’t need any more explanations. It was obvious just by looking at how that man with highlights on his hair was standing near his Sho. Wait, could he still call him as that?

“Don’t worry, it’s fine,” Sakurai told the man, “Ah, right, I’ll introduce you. Masaki, this is Matsumoto Jun. And, Jun, this is Aiba Masaki, my-”

“Nino is waiting for me, I have to go,” he cut him off suddenly before averting his gaze from them and starting to walk away.

“Wait, Masaki!” Sho went after him, taking him by his arm and stopping him, “It’s not what it looks like.”

“Really? To me, it seems pretty clear. If you wanted to talk to me just for telling me about your newfound boyfriend, please don’t. I got it,” he spat all at once, his eyes furious.

“You’re completely wrong, he is only a friend!” the other man affirmed, his grasp on Aiba’s jacket tightening, “How could I ever go out with someone when the only person who had been in my mind for the past four months is you and only you?” Sho’s voice and eyes were sincere, there was no trace of lie.

Aiba looked down, before mumbling, “Sunday morning at mine...I mean, at ours…”

“I’ll be there.”

Masaki gazed at him and forced a smile, before releasing his arm from Sho’s hand and reaching Ninomiya outside the cinema.

“How did it go?” his friend asked immediately.

“We’ll find out on Sunday.”


End file.
